Heat-rotated illuminated ornaments



June 24, 1958 s. M. KAZOR 2,840,689

HEAT-ROTATED ILLUMINATED ORNAMENTS Filed March 15, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

SYLVIN M- KA'ZGR ATT'DRN E (S June 24, 1958 s. M. KAZOR 2,840,689

HEAT-ROTATED ILLUMINATED ORNAMENTS Filed March 15, 1957 2. Sheets-Sheet 2 \61 INVENTOR. /40 \54- SYLVlN M- KA'ZQR AT TURN EYE United States Patent HEAT-=ROTATED ILLUMINATED ORNAMENTS Sylvin M. Kazor, Chicago, Ill.

Application March .15, 1957, Serial No. 646,417

8 Claims. (Cl. 24010.1)

This invention relates to improvements in heat-rotated, illuminated ornaments, for such uses as decorating Christmas trees.

The primary object of the invention is to provide more eflicient and practical ornaments of this kind which have slotted rotors within translucent housings which interrupt and diffuse light through the sidewalls of the housings and produce aural effects, the ornaments having means for suspending the same from supports, such as Christmas tree branches, or mounting the same on such supports, or alternatively upon supporting surfaces, the heat and light necessary to the operation of the ornaments being supplied by electric light bulbs which are either supported beneath the ornamentsor are incorporated in their structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide ornaments of the character indicated above which are relatively simple in construction and are composed of a small number of simple and easilyassernbled parts.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide ornaments of the character indicated which can be made in attractive, rugged, and serviceable forms at relatively low cost, one easily used, and one highly acceptable for the purposes intended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an ornament of the invention, showing the same suspended over a source of light and heat, such as a Christmas tree light bulb;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially on the plane of line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the plane of line 3-3 of Figure .2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the rotor of the ornament;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 6 is a perspective view, showing the ornament of Figure 5 supported on a flat surface;

Figure 7 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially on the plane of line 7-7 of Figure 5; and

Figure 8 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the plane of line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and first to Figures 1 to 4, indicated generally at 10 is a conventional electric Christmas tree light bulb, supported in a vertical position by a clip 12 engaged on a branch 14 of a Christmas tree. Suspended on an overlying branch 16 of the Christmas tree by an S-shaped hook 18 is an ornament of the invention, indicated generally at 20. The light bulb 10 is of relatively low wattage, such as from 5 to 7 watts, and projects light rays upwardly and heats air therearound, so that the air rises vertically 22,846,689 Patented June 24, 1958 therefrom, so that light rays and the heated air rise into the open bottom of the ornament 20.

The ornament 20 comprises a relatively stationary hollow housing 22, preferably in the form of a bell-shaped translucent body 26, constructed, for example, of bubbletype polystyrene plastic made by filling cells of the polystyrene with air, known commercially as Styrofoam.

The housing 22 further comprises a dome-shaped top 30 having therein circumferentially spaced openings 32 which pass heated air and light out of the otherwise open upper end 27 of the body 26. An annular flange 28 depends from the top 30 and is frictionally secured in the open upper end 27 of the body 26. Integral with and rising centrally from the top 30 is an apertured tab 34 for engagement over the lower end of the hook 18 for suspending the ornament 20 on a branch 16 over the bulb 10. Integral with and depending centrally from the top 30 is a vertically elongated rod 36 having a lower end 38.

Partially closing the lower end 29 of the body 26 is a spider -40 having 21 depending downwardly flared skirt 42 which serves to direct rising hot air into the lower end 29 of the body '26. The spider 40 has an upstanding annular flange 43 which is frictionally engaged in the lower end 29 of the body 26, and includes a horizontal cruciform plate 44 having preferably integrally therewith an upstanding central rod 46 terminating at its upper end 'in an upstanding needle bearing 48.

The ornament 20 further comprises arotor 24 having a top plate 50 which is preferably polygonal in plan, such as octagonal, as shown. Punched out of the plate 50 are circumferentially spaced propeller blades or vanes 54 which are at circumferential angles to the top of the plate 50, and define openings '52 in the plate 50 therebelow. The plate 50 has therein a central upset bearing cone 55 into which the needle bearing 48 supportably and rotatably engages, so that the rotor 24 is rotatably mounted in the housing 'body 26 above the spider 40. v

Secured to the plate 50 of the rotor 24 are depending vertically elongated circumferentially spaced strips 56. The strips 56 may be of any suitable material, such as plastic or the like, and may be of different colors, so that light projected by the bulb 10 into the rotor 24, and which would otherwise pass outwardly through the sidewall of the body 26 unmodified, is intermittently masked by the strips 56 as the rotor 24 is rotated by the rise of heated air from the bulb 10 passing through the rotor plate openings 52 and striking the vanes 54.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 5 to 8, and indicated generally at 120, comprises a housing 122 having a body 126 which is identical to that of the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4. The body 12216 has secured in its upper end a depending flange 128 of a top 130 having therein circumferentially spaced openings 132. It is to be noted that the top 139 does not have the hanging tab 34 of the first described embodimen However, such a tab could be incorporated in the top 130, in the manner shown in Figure 1, if desired. The

top 130 has depending therefrom a central vertically elongated rod 136 having a lower end 138.

Frictionally engaged in the lower end of the body 126 is an annular flange 143 on a spider 140, similar to that of the first described embodiment. The spider 146 includes a downwardly flared flange 142 whose lower edge 145 is scalloped, for a purpose hereinafter described. The spider 40 incorporates a horizontal cruciform plate 144.

The ornament 120 further comprises a rotor 124 which is identical to that of the first described embodiment.

The spider further comprises a vertical light bulb socket 148 secured centrally through and rising above the plate 144 and having an electric light bulb 156 in its upper end and within the rotor 124. Secured to the upper end of the socket 148 and rising therefrom is a bowed arm 158 having on its upper end in alignment with the axis of the socket 148 an upstanding needle bearing 160 upon which the cone bearing 1500f the rotor 124 is engaged. The socket 148 incorporates a depending tubular and severable socket portion 162,

to be engaged on the upper end of a tip 166 of a Christmas tree or the like, so as to provide the uppermost ornamen on the Christmas tree.

When it is desired to utilize the ornament 120 as a night lamp or the like, the socket portion 162 is severed from the socket 148 and the scalloped lower edge 145 of the spider skirt 142 is rested upon a selected surface. It will be noted that the lower end 164 of the socket 148 is upwardly displaced relative to the scalloped lower edge 145 of the spider 140. The spaces between the scallops of the lower edge 145 of the spider 140 provide access of air to the interior of the ornament 120 when supported on a surface S, and enable passage of an electrical cord 154 to the bulb socket 148.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact constructions shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, or fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An ornament comprising a hollow translucent housing having upper and lower ends and a sidewall; an apertured top secured in said upper end having a depending central rod thereon having a lower end, a spider secured in the lower end of the housing comprising a horizontal plate having thereon an upstanding element having an upstanding needle bearing on its upper end, a rotor within said housing above said horizontal plate, said rotor comprising a perforated plate having therein a central bearing cone rotatably and supportably engaged on said needle bearing and engaged with the lower end of said rod, said perforated rotor plate having depending circumferentially spaced strips thereon, and propeller vanes on and rising angularly from the perforated rotor plate.

2. An ornament according to claim 1, wherein said spider plate has a depending downwardly flaring skirt having a lower edge.

3. An ornament according to claim 1, wherein said housing top has thereon a central upstanding ornament suspending tab.

4. An ornament according to claim 1, in combination with a source of light and heat supported beneath said spider and projecting heat and light upwardly through said spider and said rotor.

5. An ornament according to claim 2, wherein said upstanding element comprises a vertical light bulb socket secured centrally through said spider plate and having upper and lower ends, an electric light bulb engaged in and rising from said socket and an arm having a lower end secured to said socket, said arm extending upwardly alongside of said bulb and having an upper end carrying said upstanding needle bearing.

6. An ornament according to claim 2, wherein said upstanding element comprises a vertical light bulb socket secured centrallythrough said spider plate and having upper and lower ends, an electric light bulb engaged in and rising from said socket and an arm having a lower end secured to said socket, said arm extending upwardly alongside of said socket and having an upper end carrying said upstanding needle bearing, and an electric light bulb engaged in and rising from said socket, the lower edge of the spider skirt being arranged to rest upon a supporting surface, and being scalloped to provide access of air to the interior of the ornament.

7. An ornament according to claim 2, wherein said upstanding element comprises a vertical light bulb socket secured centrally through said spider plate and having upper and lower ends, an' electric light bulb engaged in and rising from said socket and an arm having a lower end secured to said socket, said arm extending upwardly alongside of said socket and having an upper end carrying said upstanding needle bearing, and an electric light bulb engaged in and rising from said socket, the lower edge of the spider skirt being arranged to rest upon a supporting surface, and being scalloped to provide access of air to the interior of the ornament, the lower end of said bulb socket being spaced above the lower edge of spider skirt, and a tubular socket portion secured to the lower end of the socket and depending below the skirt for engagement over a support tip.

8. An ornament according to claim 2, wherein said upstanding element comprises a vertical light bulb socket secured centrally through said spider plate and having upper and lower ends, an electric light bulb engaged in and rising from said socket and an arm having a lower end secured to said socket, said arm extending upwardly alongside of said socket and having an upper end carrying said upstanding needle bearing, and an electric light bulb engaged in and rising from said socket, the lower edge of the spider skirt being arranged to rest upon a supporting surface, and being scalloped to provide access of air to the interior of the ornament, the lower end of said bulb socket being spaced above the lower edge of spider skirt, and a tubular socket portion secured to the lower end of the bulb socket and depending below the skirt for engagement over a support tip, said tubular socket portion being separable from the socket to enable the lower edge of the spider skirt to rest upon a supporting surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,563,048 Stein Nov. 24, 1925 2,194,899 Hansson Mar. 26, 1940 2,331,877 Welfield Oct. 19, 1943 2,345,517 Weiss Mar. 28, 1944 2,611,071 Palmieri Sept. 16, 1952 2,726,320 Damiano Dec. 6, 1955 2,737,576 Fasson Mar. 6, 1956 

